


An Only Slightly Inconvenient Marriage

by shelovestoship



Series: Marriage of Inconvenience [2]
Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Kid Fic, Maybe - Freeform, Part 2, Some Cuteness, Some Plot, Some angst, back in hawaii, dealing with things, my babies being cute, partners to parents?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24707011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shelovestoship/pseuds/shelovestoship
Summary: Magnum and Higgy are hired by the step-mother of a kidnapped little girl.Miggy established relationship / green card wedding, post A Marriage of Inconvenience.
Relationships: Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV, miggy - Relationship
Series: Marriage of Inconvenience [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786240
Comments: 73
Kudos: 208





	1. Wait? What?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends. Because I don’t know how to do the epilogue for Marriage of Inconvenience I’ve decided to go straight on to write the sequel. I was going to have the epilogue be “1 year later” but then I was like “but then I have to have it fit the sequel. But I’m not sure what I want to do there 100% so it might get wonky”. So I’m working on this now (as MoI is pretty okay where it is) then maybe I’ll do an epilogue? One that works with this but sort of fits with MiO too? IDK. Epilogues are hard.
> 
> Will be quite different from the first story, jumping a bit more between bits and just being all-around more fluffy and fun (I think, but you know me, Marriage of Inconvenience started off as a light ‘let’s get married for a green card’ idea and we're already going straight for some pretty serious questions in chapter one) and not really sure other what I’m doing here other than a vague sense of where I want to end and a few scenes I’ve got written I know I want to weave into this somehow.
> 
> As I’m working on some original fiction right now (and it’s summer) updates might be a bit sporadic. You have been warned!

## Wait? What?

“What color are the curtains in our bedroom?” she asked, not looking up from the computer screen.

Because he was bored and thought this activity would be much fun done in bed when they were both naked. Or on the beach where they could be enjoying the beautiful Hawaii sunset. Or in the Ferrari, driving really fast.

Or maybe it wouldn’t be fun anywhere. Magnum wasn’t sure. 

He yawned. “We have curtains in the bedroom?”

That made her look up and give him an annoyed glare.

“I’m kidding,” he said, leaning his head back against the sofa. “They’re blue.”

“What were the names of my parents?”

“We did that one already,” he said but then told her their names again. “And your grandfather’s is Rafferty. Which is a really funny name.”

“It’s an old family name,” she said, turning back to find more boring questions to ask. 

“Don’t worry so much,” he said, wishing he was sitting next to her so he could touch her, distract her.

“Don’t worry? Magnum, you do know if we fail this interview-”

“I know, I know. But these are some weird questions. Like why would they ask us the color of our bedroom curtains? That’s weird.”

“Well they might and I want us to be prepared.”

“How about we make this into a drinking game. Or maybe like a strip version. Every time I get something right, you could take something off. That’d be a great incentive.”

She raised one eyebrow in a way that said as clear as if she had spoken ‘yeah, that’s not happening’.

“Fine, but our interview isn’t for another two weeks,” he said. “I don’t see why we have to start studying so early.”

“I know you like to do things without any planning but I believe in being prepared,” she said and he had to smile at how British she was sounding. 

Of course, she always did, but occasionally it just hit him. Today it wasn’t quite as enjoyable as normal, because the reminder of her Britishness just brought him back to the whole green card wedding interview which was rather boring.

“Here are some basic questions. Where did you meet? _Work. Or maybe through a mutual friend? I think work sounds better._ When did you meet each other’s parents? _We haven’t on the account of both our parents having passed away._ When did you start dating? _We told the guys after Abby left, didn’t we? So November?_ How will you spend your one year anniversary? _We should make something up for that. Maybe say we’re planning a road trip. That’s very American, isn’t it?”_

“We could go on the pancake tour of America. I’ve always wanted to go on that,” he suggested.

She ignored him. “Do you plan on buying a house? If so, where? _We are not._ Are you having kids, if so how many? _No_. Where was-”

“Wait? What? Go back,” he said, suddenly paying attention.

She bit her lip and stopped speaking but she didn’t look at him.

“Are we answering this as we will for the interview or as _us,_ now?” he asked, sitting up straighter. 

“Magnum-”

“Because I don’t think **No** is right for either one of those,” he said, frowning. “Weren’t you and Richard going to have a family?”

This made her finally meet his eyes. They were confused, vaguely questioning. “Who told you that?”

“Ian. Was he lying?”

"No. I don’t know.” She closed her laptop screen, put the computer on the coffee table. “It’s almost seven, I think we should make some dinner. I feel like Italian. You?”

“What?” he said, confused by the sudden change of topic. For about two seconds. Because this was classic Higgy avoidance behavior. “No. You don’t get to do that. Not with me.”

“Do what?” she said as she got up and headed for the kitchen. He followed.

“Not talk about something that’s upsetting you,” he said, not sure what to call it. “We’ve tried it and it makes both of us unhappy.”

“I’m not upset,” she said, opening the fridge. 

“Then you’re avoiding the question,” he said, because those were the two options. Upset or avoiding. 

Magnum had always imagined he’d have kids at some point. Mostly because all the kids he’d been around had been charming in a multitude of different ways and he’d figured his own would be even more so. As much as he loved his friends, his brothers, and they were his family, would always be his family, having kids would be another type of family. Another type of bond and love. One he wanted to experience.

He hadn’t really stopped to ask if that was what she wanted. He’d just assumed it was. Because she was good with kids. In a sort of different way than he was, but all the same Juliet Higgins as a parent made sense to him. In fact the more he thought about it, the more he felt that him and Higgy together - that be the perfect parent duo. Partners.

If that was what she wanted.

Only what if it wasn’t.

He wasn’t sure what he felt about that prospect. 

“I think you are avoiding the question,” he asked, putting himself in front of her to make her look at him. “Do you or do you not want to have kids?”

“I’d be a terrible mother-” she said and stopped herself. Took a deep breath and continued before he could correct her. “Magnum, it’s way too early in our relationship for us to talk about this.” 

“Considering we’re married, I say it’s just about the right time.”

“Fake married,” she said, sidestepping him even in the thigh space.

“No,” he said firmly, feeling almost angry. “We are married. Real married. We decided that in Russia.”

“I know,” she said, putting her left hand on his heart. The one with the engagement ring on it. That made his anger melt away - into - something else. “It’s just a bit of an adjustment.”

“We’ve adjusted before,” he pointed out, reaching out to pull her body to his. “I think we’ll be fine.”

“I'm inclined to agree with you. And I’m not hungry anymore. At least not for Italian,” she said and smiled before leaning up to kiss him. 

It was only later as they lay in bed, the red rays of sunset playing over their naked skin, he realized she hadn’t actually given him an answer to the question if she wanted to have children or not.


	2. That's Alright, Isn't It?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking some artistic license with the corona situation. The timeline is a bit wack as it is, since Marriage of Inconvenience technically starts off in February and only spans about 2 weeks and this would be maybe two weeks after that? So basically just as corona was picking up in the US...but we’re ignoring that. It’s some time post-pandemic and things are mostly back to normal-ish, with some worrying still going on but yeah. Normal. Because that’s what we all want right about now, isn’t it?

Juliet stared at the screen of her tablet as Magnum drove, not actually seeing the pictures she was scrolling past.

Robin had called. He was back on the grid and had offered to help her renew her work visa. She’d have to go back to the UK for six months but that wasn’t the end of the world. Was it? 

He’d even suggested some crazy solution where he’d give her Robin’s Nest, which in turn would make her eligible for an investor visa since it was worth over 500K$!

If she did take him up on either one of those, she and Magnum wouldn’t have to stay married to keep her in the country. Or well, they could stay married but they wouldn’t have to go the marriage green card route. There would be no need to prove that their relationship was real with strange questions designed to trip people up.

Only she hadn’t told Magnum about Robin's offers. Not yet. Not because she thought he'd want to get a divorce or anything. She wasn’t worried about that, not anymore. Not for a long time actually.

But she was a bit worried about the fact that… well, he wanted to be the one to save her. Fix her problem. And he had been. They’d done it together, in a weird way. Having Robin come in now and take that away...well, it wouldn’t feel right.

But taking Robin up on his offer would mean no - possibly terrible - green card interview. But it would also mean leaving for England for some time.

“Earth to Higgins,” he said and she realized he’d stopped the car. They were at the house of the client that had called to hire them thirty minutes earlier. For a supposedly ‘top secret’ case. Juliet wondered what that meant and wished, as she often did, that Magnum would ask for more details when clients first called him. “What’s going on with you today?”

“Nothing,” she said, quickly getting out of the Ferrari. Then amended, because it wasn’t nothing and she didn’t want to lie to him, “I’ll tell you later.”

He nodded even though he looked like he wanted to talk about it _now._

The house they had parked in front of clearly belonged to a wealthy person. Not quite Robin’s Nest rich but there was a proper well-maintained garden, two sleek black sedans and the house was about two normal houses in size. Hopefully, this meant a well-paying job, for once. Things had been a lot slower - as they should - over the past few months as people stayed at home as much as possible. Since they did live for free at Robin's Nest money running low wasn't the end of the world (especially since Juliet had a rather decent rain-day account), but it wasn't exactly a good feeling.

“Nice” he said, taking in the property then apparently thinking the same thing as her added, “This job looks like it might tide us over for a while.”

She nodded, agreeing. “Probably another cheating bastard.”

“Or bastard-ette,” he cheerfully pointed out and they shared a smile before he went to ring the doorbell.

She wondered if she should be more cynical, seeing as half the cases they worked, were divorces where spouses wanted dirt on their other half to get more money. But that felt like such a faraway possibility with her and Magnum it was amusing rather than anything else. Something that they were immune to, that could never happen to them.

Probably it felt like that to most new couples. Everyone thought they were different, their relationship special. That they’d be the ones that made it. 

_Do you or do you not want to have kids?_

That question came back to her, wiping her smile away. Not because she didn’t know the answer. But because it didn’t matter what she wanted. There were other, more important factors in a choice like that.

“Oh thank goddess,” a young woman said by way of greeting as she opened the door. “You must be Mr. Magnum? Please come inside.”

The woman who was a doe-eyed brunette in her mid-twenties wearing a bikini with an almost sheer wrap dress and nothing else hurried them inside. A small white dog - same size as a Chihuahua but with a ton of white fur - barked at the from the middle of the grand staircase in the entrance of the house.

“Be quiet Rainbow,” the woman told the dog. The dog kept on barking.

“Quiet,” Juliet told the dog firmly.

The oddly named pure white fluffball Rainbow shut up and sat down.

“Uh,” the girl said, clearly surprised at the dog’s behavior.

“This is my partner Juliet Higgins,” he said, nodding to Juliet. “She’s British. Dogs like that.”

“They do? I’ve never heard of that. But whatever,” she said dismissively, quickly focusing back on Magnum. “I’m Andie. My friend Darla said you were the best at finding people and that when her boyfriend stole all her stuff and tried to run away you found him and got her Gucci bag back for her.”

Juliet was unfamiliar with this case but Magnum nodded so she supposed it must have been one he worked without her before they became partners. That made her feel strangely out of the loop which wasn’t exactly a feeling she enjoyed.

“Yes, Darla. Nice girl,” Magnum said, glancing to Juliet. As if he could sense she was a little bothered by this. She both loved and hated the fact that he was so in tune with her. “One of my first cases after I moved to Hawaii.”

She nodded and focused on their new client. “So Andie, how can we help you? Do you need us to find someone for you? Did someone steal something from you?” 

Andie bit her lip and looked nervously at Magnum. “Sorta. You see, my little sister might have kinda kidnapped my step-daughter. But it’ll be alright as long as we find her before six o'clock though. Or at the very latest when my husband comes back from his business trip tomorrow. And I can't really pay you, but Darla said that was alright.”

So much for an easy case with a proper pay-check.


	3. The Not So Bad Kind (of Kidnapping)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't really planning on having a case in this story it just feels so much more like Magnum PI when they are on one and I'm hoping to tie this one in with the Miggy feels a bit further ahead.

### The Not So Bad Kind (of Kidnapping)

" _my little sister might have kinda kidnapped my step-daughter. But it’ll be alright as long as we find her before six o'clock though. Or at the very latest when my husband comes back from his business trip tomorrow. And I can't really pay you, but Darla said that was alright.”_

 _“_ Did you contact the police?”

“No,” Andie said, “Clara won’t hurt Emma, she’s the best with her. I mean I mean I even kinda joked she would be a way better step-mom than me. But I didn’t mean it like this. Gary is going to be so pissed.”

“Gary is Emma’s father? What about her mother?”

“He is. And Emma’s mom died when she was, like, two,” Andie said nonchalantly. 

Despite not having met her or even heard of her until a minute earlier Magnum felt an immediate connection to little Emma, as he usually did with everyone who had lost a parent too young. 

“How about you start from the beginning,” Magnum said as he and Juliet exchanged glances. This was not quite what they’d been expecting.

“Okay,” Andie said but turned to began walking towards the back of the house. “Do you want ice tea? Or coffee? I got beer too."

“How old is your step-daughter?” Juliet asked as they followed. 

Rainbow the dog jumped down the stairs and followed too, but kept a fair distance back, like some sort of fluffy doggy ghost stalker.

“Emma? She’s five. And Clara is nineteen but she’s like a _really_ mature nineteen which is why I asked her to come stay with me and be, like, Emma’s nanny,” Andie said as they got to the kitchen. “But then this morning she called me and was all like, _I’m going to just take her with me back to LA, you’ll be just as happy without us,”_ she said, changing her pitch as she imitated her sister's voice. “So I’m not sure kidnapping is the right word. I mean I guess it is but not in a bad way, you know?”

Magnum kind of saw what she meant but still wasn’t sure there was such a thing as a not-bad-kidnapping. 

“This is Emma and Clara,” Andie said, pointing to one - out of maybe twenty pictures - clipped to a metal frame on the kitchen wall. All the rest featured Andie, a man closer to Magnum’s own age than Andie’s. There was also a number of pictures of Rainbow the dog. Andie clipped the picture of Clara and Emma down and handed it over. “You can have it.”

Magnum took it, Juliet stepped closer to him, shoulder brushing against his arm as she leaned forward to look at it. She didn’t move away or to the side as she would have in the past when they accidentally touched in public. He half had expected her too, especially with how distracted she had been over the past few days, but she didn't and that made him smile just a little despite the situation.

Shoulder to shoulder they both studied the picture. Emma was a pale dark skinny little thing with a serious look even with the fake-camera-smile on her face while Clara was a chubby blonde version of Andie. Not your standard kidnapper - if there was such a thing.

“When did you last see them?” Magnum asked when Andie just looked around, clicking her nails on the granite counter-top.

“This morning. They were fighting because Clara was making Emma take her kidney medicine. She hates taking them so unless someone watches her like a hawk she doesn't take her pill or spits them out. That’s like the only time Emma doesn't do what Clara tells her.”

“Emma has kidney problems?” Juliet asked, a sudden edge in her voice.

“Didn’t I tell you? That’s part of why this is such a huge freaking problem! Unless Emma takes her pills every 12 hours her kidney’s start, I don’t know, failing or something. And I mean, I think Clara took some of her pills with her because she’s responsible like that but when she called and just said she and Emma were going to go back to LA together and to not look for them she didn’t mention it and there are still a bunch of pills in the bottle so… I just don’t know what to do.”

“I’m sorry, but I think you need to call the police,” Juliet said and he nodded in agreement. A case where a sick little girl’s life rested in the balance was definitely something for the HPD or even FBI, not them.

“No, I can’t, what if they arrest my sister? No!” Andie shook her head, and sensing her mistress distress Rainbow began barking. “Please! Just try to find her! It’s six hours until she needs to take her pills. If you can’t find them before that I’ll call the police. But please please try!”

“We have a friend in the HPD. We could ask him to look into this right now,” Magnum said, gauging both Juliet’s and Andie’s reactions. “We’ll explain your sister is just trying to help. Me and Juliet will also search for-”

“No! Please, if Clara gets in trouble for this, who will take care of Emma? She's so quiet and difficult to communicate with,” Andie begged. “Just try to find them first without the police getting involved. Please!”

“You still want Clara to be your nanny?” Magnum asked, eyebrows raised.

“For sure, I mean she likes Emma so much I was even thinking of asking Gary to give Emma to her,” she said. “That sounded bad but I just mean - you can do that right?”

“Oh yes,” Juliet said, sarcastically. “It’s just like with a dog, if you don’t like your child you can just give it to someone else, who likes it better.”

“She’s not _my_ child and I don’t like your tone,” Andie said, voice a little higher pitched. “Or the implication that I’d ever give Rainbow away. Come here girl!”

The little fluffy dog ran over to her and Andie picked her up and cuddled her like a baby.

“ _Juliet_ ,” he said, warning, when she opened her mouth, eyes flashing, perhaps about to point out how hypocritical Andie’s last few sentences had been. 

"Please Mr. Magum, will you help me? Help Clara? And Emma?"

“Finding Emma before she gets sick would the best way to help Clara,” Magnum said gently, making sure Andie felt like he was on her side. He wasn’t, he was on Emma’s side, but it would be easier if Andie didn’t realize that. “With the HPD involved-”

“Then find her,” Andie ordered, “Find them both. But no police!”

He wasn’t quite sure what to do and he sensed the same in Juliet so he said to Andie, “Give us a moment, alright?“

“What do you want to do?” he asked Juliet once he was sure Andie was out of earshot. He was leaning more towards trying to find Clara and Emma on their own real quick, for a few hours, and if they couldn’t, then call Gordon for backup.

That way Clara, who seemed to Magnum to be the person who cared the most for Emma (if you didn’t count the whole kidnapping thing) wouldn’t get in as much trouble. It would be a whole less traumatizing for little Emma too, he figured.

“Calling Gordon is probably the right thing to do,” Juliet said quietly but took the picture from him. “But...”

“But that means Clara gets into big trouble. But maybe she should be, stealing someone else’s kid,” he said because even if Clara loved Emma probably thought she was doing something not too terrible, it was still kidnapping. Emma’s dad - Gary? -would for sure be much more devastated than Andie, right? Emma was his child.

“A child whose parents don’t seem to care very much for her,” Juliet pointedly looked at the wall full of Andie and her husband’s faces. More pictures of the dog than the little girl.

That wasn’t right.

“Maybe her dad cares. Maybe they have hundreds of pictures of her on their phones?” he said, playing the devil’s advocate.

“Perhaps. To me, sadly, it seems like the person who cares most about Emma is Clara. Which makes me think she would have brought the pills Emma needs and that the child is safe,” Juliet said, nodding slowly. “Calling Gordon in on this would most likely mean Clara getting arrested. Her and Emma wouldn’t be able to see much less be in each other’s lives, once we or the police find them.”

“So we help Andie? Without calling the cops?” he summarized. 

“We help Emma,” Juliet clarified, looking at the picture again. “Yes.”


	4. As Good A Plan As Any

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story was meant to be Miggy fluff. I'm not sure what happened, but now there is a case I'm suddenly way too invested in writing.

### As Good A Plan As Any

“So do we find a teenage kidnapper in six hours? With no leads other than ‘ _they’re not here_ ’ and ‘ _her car is still not in the garage so they must have taken it’_?” Juliet asked as they left Andie’s house fifteen minutes later.

“The play-group Andie mentioned maybe? Talk to Clara’s friends there?”

“Maybe,” Juliet said, looking sadly back at the house. “This is a right fine mess isn’t it.”

“Andie isn’t exactly the ideal parent,“ he said.

“An understatement if I ever heard one,” Juliet said with a shiver. “But as she pointed out, repeatedly, she’s not Emma’s mother.”

“I guess some people don’t have much of a maternal instinct,” he said as they got in the Ferrari, trying to explain Andie’s behavior. “Or maybe she’s just not that nice of a person.”

“Yeah,” Juliet said, looking down. “Some people do make terrible parents.”

That sounded like someone with personal experience with ‘terrible’ parents. He wondered if that was the case since he knew very little about her family, about her childhood, other than the fact that she’d _asked_ to go to boarding school at some point. She’d said it was to focus on her studies but he wasn’t really buying that, never had. 

“Were your parents? Terrible?” he had to ask as she pulled her tablet out.

“No,” she said, almost absent-mindedly. “I simply didn’t fit into their lives. I’m going to see if Clara made any purchase on her credit card.”

“If she booked a flight to LA on it we should be able to simply wait for her at the airport, intercept her before she goes through security,” he said as he backed out of the driveway. 

She tilted her head a little. “Would they even let Clara fly out of Hawaii with Emma? They don’t have the same last name and she’s not her guardian.”

“Probably not,” he said, ”And if she tries and is caught it might even be worse for Clara because she was trying to take Emma to another state. Why?”

“I just wondered if she actually planned to leave, since it must be common knowledge that you can’t take someone else’s child along on a plane without permission,” she explained, as she’d begun typing furiously on her tablet.

“No, I meant, why didn’t you fit in? To your parents’ life?”

She stopped typing but didn’t say anything for a long few moments, then she shrugged her 'it's a big deal but I'm trying to not make it seem like it ‘ shrug. “My mother was a dancer. Her life had been all about beautiful and glittering shows. Parties and trips. And my father well… he had other responsibilities.” 

“No offense Higgy, but that sounds borderline terrible,” he said. He wondered if this was part of the fact that she didn’t want to discuss the possible kid together question whenever he’d tried to bring it up.

“Compared to having Andie as a step-mother I’d say I was blessed,” she said, trying to sound very casual but not quite succeeding. “My mother, when she was there, was very loving. Sweet and warm. Kind.” 

“So nothing like you?” he teased but unexpectedly she didn’t tease back or give him a look.

He wondered what that was about. 

Juliet was all about the rough teasing and it wasn’t like it wasn’t true. Loving, sweet, warm and kind were maybe not exactly the first words one would use to describe Juliet Higgins. 

He, because he knew her so well, knew she could be all those of course but the rest of the world didn’t. He worried suddenly that maybe she didn’t see those things as clearly in herself as he did and he’d actually just hurt her feelings.

“Juliet-” he said, not quite sure where he was going, for only knowing he wanted to make sure they were on the same page.

“Hold on,” she said as a map popped up on her screen. “I got Clara’s phone- two miles south from here. Think she ditched it?”

“Maybe?” He forced his mind back to the case. “But she’s a teenager, right? They’re pretty attached to their phones.”

* * *

“I don’t believe it,” Juliet whispered as they slowly strolled towards a bench where Clara was sitting. And next to the bench was a swing-set where Emma was swinging tentatively, her feet barely leaving the ground.

Clara was looking around rather nervously and when her eyes landed on them and stopped Magnum decided immediate action was needed. Because they were still far away enough Clara might be able to just grab Emma and make a run for it.

“Hey,” he said, grabbing Juliet’s waist and pulling her to him before kissing her. She was surprised by it, but either had suddenly gotten over her slight aversion to PDA or understood what he was doing because she melted into him.

It felt both nice and a bit disconcerting, knowing even when she was being somewhat emotionally distant that she at least wanted to be in his arms. 

He still wanted to ask her about that, what had been on her mind all morning before they caught a case. He’d first thought she was just being her relatively normal Juliet Higgins self, but she had confirmed there was something when he asked what was wrong. She’d said she’d tell him later.

He wondered when later would be but also trusted that if it was important enough she would tell him when she felt ready to.

“She make us?” she whispered as she leaned back slightly. 

“No,” he said, checking. Clara’s eyes were back on Emma. “You know this is going to be really useful for when we’re undercover and have to blend in.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Well as long as our marriage is convenient for our jobs...” She turned in his arms, leaning back against him. ”I’d say we just approach her and see if she is willing to chat with us, just come back with Emma.”

“If she’s not?”

“Zip cuff her to the bench? Call Gordon?”

That sounded like as good a plan as any.

* * *

“Hello Clara,” Juliet said as she sat down next to the young woman. He stood to her other side, effectively blocking her in.

“Who are you?” she asked, eyes going big. 

“I’m Thomas Magnum, this is my partner Juliet Higgins,” he said. “We’re private investigators. Your sister hired us to bring you and Emma home safely.”

“No!” Clara said, looking very panicky.

Emma had clearly picked up on something not being quite right but she stood hesitating by the swing she’d just gotten off, not moving away or towards them.

“Run Emma,” Clara called to the little girl. “Run.”

Emma looked like she wanted to do as she was told, but seemed rooted to the spot and thus thankfully stayed in place. Some moms from over by the slide looked up and at them though.

Magnum frowned because this wasn’t exactly making sense. Not that anything was today. Juliet seemed as confused as he felt.

“It’s alright sweetie,” Magnum called to the girl, taking a step towards her and giving her a smile. “We’re here to help you. Take you back home to your dad and step-mom.”

“No, please,” Clara said, grabbing Juliet’s arm. “You can’t take Emma back to Andie! She’s trying to kill her!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews make me happy!


	5. WWTMD (What Would Thomas Magnum Do?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got a cold during the warmest week in ages and just spent the past week watching all 4 seasons of the rebooted McGuyver series. And I’m a bit confused by season 4 while it is simultaneously probably my favorite.
> 
> It will be kind of interesting to see what they do with the Riley & Mac(Desi) situations, because as much as I enjoy them as best buds and most trusted partners they have some serious potential to be an awesome couple. And who doesn't enjoy a good “friends to lovers” romance right? IDK, guess we’ll see, I just hope they do it in a good way.
> 
> Also, how fun would a Magnum x McGuyver x-over be. And if Taylor and Higgy knew each other? Back from MI6? Even with the age difference I’m sure they could make it believable! Higgins and Taylor british-flirt and Magnum is all super jealous!?!

### WWTMD (What Would Thomas Magnum Do?)

“Okay, you go with Emma and Clara and I’ll take the Ferrari back-” Magnum began but she interrupted.

“Or you go with them and I’ll take the Ferrari back to Robin’s Nest.”

They’d agreed that while Clara’s accusation - she claimed Andie was trying to poison Emma with her kidney medicine - was kind of out there, it was best to investigate a little further before returning Emma to her step-mother.

Juliet was certain it would lead them into trouble but unfortunately had no better suggestion. But if they both ended up in jail for kidnapping a minor she could at least say ‘I told you so’. 

“I got the key,” he said, holding up the Ferrari's lock fob, and taking a step back. “And I’m going by the morgue to see if I can get Noelani to come check Emma out.”

“I can do that,” she insisted, glancing at Clara who was loading the little girl into the backseat of the sedan.

Both of them seemed a bit calmer now that they’d said they would help. Or more likely Clara was calmed by it and Emma was just being influenced by Clara’s behavior.

“We both know Noelani likes me more,” he said cheekily.

“Oh really?” She raised an eyebrow. “How about we call her and ask?”

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you just didn’t want to ride in a car with a five-year-old!” he said, hitting the nail right on the head. Not that she was going to let him know that.

“Fine,” she turned around and walked over to the sedan. “Whatever. See you back at Robin’s Nest.”

“Have fun!” he called after her. Bastard.

“You’re coming with us?” Clara asked as Juliet joined her. 

“So it seems,” she replied, forcing herself not to grimace as she heard the Ferrari start. 

“Cool,” Clara said and gave her a beaming smile. “I’m so thankful you and Mr. Magnum are going to help us. I really don’t know how to deal with things like this and when I tried googling it I just got so confused. You can ride in the back with Emma!”

“Right,” she agreed awkwardly, wondering if Clara and Magnum had conspired to get her as close as possible to the child.

So as Clara clambered into the driver’s seat, Juliet got into the back seat next to the rear-facing child seat. The girl was five and even though she was small, she still looked cramped in the seat.

Juliet tried to remember if she’d ever sat in such a complicated car seat as a child but all she could bring was the vague memory of sitting in her mother’s lap in a taxi. She supposed it was for safety reason, but she really didn’t know much about children or all the things they required.

“Hello,” she told Emma as Clara started the car. “I’m Juliet. Remember?” They’d introduced themselves briefly as Clara filled them in on her fears.

The girl nodded solemnly but said nothing, just stared at her.

“Juliet is going to help us,” Clara told Emma from the front seat.

The little girl looked skeptical. 

Which was a bit heartbreaking, wasn’t it? Shouldn’t five-year-olds believe adults when they were told someone was going to help them?

Maybe Juliet was reading too much into things. 

Now, what to do next? She decided to imagine how Magnum might act if he was there. It was something she occasionally did when she wasn’t quite sure what to do in a new social situation. She’d done it when he took her to a fast food restaurant, celebrated her first Halloween and even for karaoke. Of course, she would never in a million years tell him of this little trick.

If Magnum was there he’d be making conversation, looking for a connection with Emma. Juliet could try to do that, even if she wasn’t sure what might hold the interest of a tiny human.

“That’s a cute cat,” she told Emma, who was holding a stuffed animal - a grey tabby to be specific. “What’s his name?”

“ _Her_ name is Hermione,” the little girl told her after a moment, eyes narrowing.

“That’s an interesting name,” Juliet said. “Hermione is a character in Shakespear’s Winter’s Tale, where she is falsely accused of… well, she is vindicated by the end.”

Emma said nothing, starting at her with big eyes, and Juliet realized perhaps five year olds did not find Shakespear trivia fascinating.

“Shakespear!” Clara said after a few moments of silence. “He wrote Romeo and Juliet too, right? That’s so romantic. I didn’t know there was a Hermione in his books. That’s neat, isn’t it Emma? Hermione and Ms. Juliet are both named after really famous book characters.”

“Plays,” Emma said before Juliet could. “Shakespear wrote plays.” She looked at Juliet. “Didn’t he?”

“He did,” Juliet said, smiling with surprise. “How did you know that?”

The girl shrugged and looked out the window.

“Emma likes discovery channel and boring stuff like that,” Clara informed her. “I mean, not boring stuff, smart stuff. She’s going to be a scientist or a professor when she grows up, aren’t you?”

Emma once more said nothing, but stopped looking out the window. She brought the stuffed cat to her face and put one of its ears into her mouth.

Juliet thought that couldn’t be very sanitary but resided the urge to point this out to the girl. It was some sort of self soothing trick to be sure. Juliet could understand behaviour like that. She’d done puzzles from an early age, using them to block out the world.

“Are you going to send Andie to jail?” Clara asked after they pulled onto the main road.

“Um.” Juliet looked at Emma and then gave Clara a look in the rear view mirror. This hardly seemed the time to speak of such things.

“Oh it’s okay,” Clara said. “Emma and I figured out Andie was trying to poison her together.”

“What?” She looked at the pale little girl who nodded, still with the cat’s ear in her mouth.

“So is she? Because I love Andie and she’s not really a super bad person. She’s just a terrible mother.”

 _We both know you’d be a terrible mother,_ a voice whispered from some dark corner of her mind. Juliet pushed it and the memories that came along with it back.

“Or step-mother, I guess,” Clara amended. “It’s so cliche right? Evil step-mother? It’s like a fairy tale! Didn’t, like, Snow White’s step-mom try to poison her?”

Juliet was still revealing from the fact that it seemed this somewhat shy but smart little girl and the slightly air-headed Clara _together_ , had somehow come to the conclusion that Andie was trying to poison Emma.

Even if it turned out Andie wasn’t being an evil step-mother and the whole poison thing was just in their heads and Emma and Clara were both just overreacting (and Juliet prayed to God that was in fact the case) it was still terrible.

Juliet had been at least double Emma’s age before she realized she was more a burden than anything else. She couldn’t imagine being five and thinking someone was trying to kill you.

Juliet hoped Emma didn’t actually understand what Andie trying to poison her meant. What death meant. But the rather grave and distant look in the child’s eyes made Juliet worried Emma did in fact understand. Which made it even more terrible.

She tried to once more think what Magnum might say or do in her stead. But not even that helped this time, because she couldn’t even imagine Magnum had a way of making this situation sound okay and easily fixed.


	6. And Stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been a while.  
> Also what happened to July? Like, didn't it just start and now it's over? Only good thing about it going by so fast is it takes us a little closer to season 3!

“So all we do is wait?” Juliet asked as Noelani got ready to leave with a sample of Emma’s blood and two pills - two very different looking pills - that Clara had taken from Emma’s medicine bottle before leaving. 

“I’ll rush the labs,” Noelani said as they walked her to the door. “But seeing as you found a kidnapped girl and decided to join the kidnapper, I’d suggest you call Katsumoto, before things get out of hand.”

“We will,” Magnum assured her, even if he wasn’t sure it was _quite_ time to involve Gordon.

“Thank you for doing this,” Juliet said, smiling a tight smile. “Let’s hope it’s nothing and Emma can go home.”

Magnum could tell she really hoped it would be nothing. He could also tell, even though she probably appeared completely composed to Noelani, she was upset. Had been since he got back with the doctor.

“You okay?” he asked, as soon as Noelani was out the door, taking Juliet’s arm to stop her from brushing his words off. 

“I’m fine,” she said, but avoided his eyes for a few seconds before meeting them. “It’s just sad. Even if it’s not true.”

“Can’t argue with you on that,” he said and nodded. “This is not how I thought this would go.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Do any of our cases go the way we imagine?”

“No,” he agreed and smiled, and then to lighten the mood added,“But I figured it would be another day of green card interview questions. In fact, you haven’t asked me one all day, I’m beginning to get worried.”

The playful sentence didn’t have the effect he’d hoped and instead, she narrowed her eyes, she opened her mouth and then closed it before saying whatever she’d planned to.

“Guys?” Kumu called from the study before he got the chance to question Juliet on just what she was avoiding telling him. Because even though he knew it was something and he was hoping she’d tell him on her own, he was getting pretty danged curious.

* * *

*Juliet*

* * *

“How about a swim? We got a beautiful beach here,” Magnum said to Emma. “And if you like dogs, there are two of them. But they’re much bigger than Rainbow.”

“Most dogs are bigger than Rainbow,” Emma told him honestly and Juliet had to smile at their interaction.

“That’s true,” he said. “Do you know why your stepmother named a white dog Rainbow?”

“It’s because if you mix all the colors you get white,” Emma explained. “At least that’s what they say.”

“Who are they?”

“I don’t know,” Emma said and grinned at Magnum. The first smile Juliet had seen on the girl’s face. “Scientists?”

“Are you sure they’re right? Because whenever I mix all my paints together I get brown.”

“Me too!”

“He’s really good with her,” Clara said to Juliet as she joined her by the kitchen counter. “She’s normally not that chatty.”

Juliet nodded. Magnum had that effect on most people. Everyone liked him. Even shy little kids. Maybe especially shy little kids. 

That wasn’t what suddenly made her stomach twist. Because it was to be expected that Emma liked Magnum. But Magnum too seemed to be enjoying the childish banter. He knew, and she didn’t know how - because he didn’t spend any more time around kids than her - to talk to Emma.

At another point in their lives, she would have teased him about how he was about as bright or mature as Emma. But she didn't feel like doing that today. 

_We both know you’d be a terrible mother._

Sean had said that to her in Russia as he pressed a knife to her stomach. The words had brought back conversations of the same nature they’d had years ago. 

Not to mention the whole chain of events that had been triggered by Sean coming back into her life in the first place. A stark reminder of the terribly dangerous lives she and Magnum led. 

Even if Juliet had been sure she’d be everything a child might need, that she wouldn’t mess up and ruin her child’s life, the fact that there were dozens of people out there who wouldn’t mind seeing her dead, would want to hurt her by hurting something helpless she loved, she wasn’t sure if she could risk it.

“Why would Andie want to poison Emma?” Juliet made herself turn away from Magnum and Emma on the sofa to do some information gathering. “She didn’t seem like she was very interested in Emma at all.”

“I know right, it’s confusing but maybe she just wants Gary to herself more?” Clara said, sounding doubtful even as she suggested it. “Though I think she’d be better off getting rid of some of his business partners. They can be pretty intense and he's always taking business trips with them.”

“What does Gary do?” Juliet asked, even though it didn’t seem like it would be relevant to Emma’s possible poisoning. Because information was always useful. And hopefully, the man was not a lawyer ready and willing to throw them in jail them or something for “assisting” Clara in her kidnapping.

“Business? Something with shipping?” Clara clearly wasn’t very interested in it.

Kumu came in with a basket; apparently a picnic on the beach was on the agenda. Promises of a sun-umbrella for Emma were made and there was general merriment at the idea of having dinner on the beach. Juliet wasn't really opposed to the idea of a picnic but felt maybe there were more important things to do, such as research the pills Emma were taking, looking into possible other reasons the girl might be feeling worse after taking them or even other possible suspects. She wanted to look into that thing she vaguely remembered having read about, where people made themselves or others ill for the attention.

“If you don’t mind,” Juliet said as the group was all at the door. “I think I’ll stay here and do some research. But you all have a wonderful time-”

“Oh come on Higgy! It’s going to be fun,” he said, looking genuinely disappointed. “I’m gonna teach Emma to surf. I can teach you too.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, vaguely aware that Clara was looking nervously between them and Kumu. The older woman then shooed them out and began guiding them down the lawn to the beach.

“I know how to surf Magnum-”

“Not very well-”

“It’s merely a skill I’ve yet to see the merits of perfecting-”

"Perfected, I saw you surf last month and it was worse than watching you swim," he said, eyes sparkling like some sort of impish fairy creature.

"I'm a good swimmer!" She protested even though he knew she was teasing. "You know I am."

"Fine," he agreed. "You're not terrible when you haven't been shot."

"Thank you-"

"But you're terrible at surfing."

"Honestly Magnum we can't all be as good at keeping our balance on a surfboard as you," she quipped.

He smiled. “So you admit I’m better at surfing than you?”

“I’m admitting no such thing.”

“I think you did. Unless you want to come prove you're better than me?” he said.

“Maybe I will,” she said, even though she wasn’t, in fact, sure she was better at him. Probably not. Okay, absolutely not. Still, it was better to face a challenge and be brutally defeated than to be too much of a coward to accept it in the first place. 

“So see you down there in five minutes?” he asked, looking pleased with himself. She hoped the cocky smile on his face would get wiped off by a huge wave.

“Fine!” she said as Kumu came back into the room.

“So you are coming on the picnic after all then Juliet?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Were you eavesdropping?” Magnum asked, mock-shocked. “Kumu!”

“Don’t blame me.” She held up her hands, all innocent, “I just came back for the stuffed cat. Apparently the kid takes it everywhere.”

“It’s here,” Juliet said and pointed to the forgotten stuffed animal before she turned to leave the room. “I’m going to go change.”

“You coming Magnum?” she heard Kumu ask.

“Actually,” came his response. “I’m going to go, um, help. Just make sure she’s putting on enough, um, sunscreen and stuff.” 

Back turned to them, Juliet rolled her eyes but at the same time couldn’t help but smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Magnum arguing and challenging her is like his way of trying to cheer her up a bit and make her take her mind off things, besides, them butting heads about everything is so fun to write!


	7. Slightly Impressive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little short chapter. It might have some weird spelling bits snd other stuff but I wanted to post it before I went to bed and well I was too tired to do more than two re-read/edits!

“I don’t need help with my sunscreen,” she told him as he came through the door to the bedroom she still had at the main house, a half a minute after her.

But she didn’t seem displeased he had followed her.

“How about unzipping that dress?” he suggested as she turned.

“I think I got it,” she said, quickly undoing it even as she kept on talking. “I really don’t know if we have time for surfing though. I think we should go talk to Andie. I want to figure out what’s going on.”

Then, as she kept on talking she stepped out of the dress, which suddenly made paying attention to her a lot harder. Well, at least paying attention to her _words_. 

“I asked Clara what motive Andie might have and she doesn't really have one. Thinking about it, I’m not sure she pays Emma enough attention at all to want to poison her. If someone even is, because while I admit the two different pills are suspicious maybe there is an explanation.”

She unhooked her bra as she plucked a bikini, a rash guard and a bottle of sunscreen from a drawer putting them on the bed.

“Mmm,” he said, because now focusing on what she was saying just got even  _ harder _ . “Yes.”

“So you agree-”

“Right, yes,” he said, nodding, then shook his head, trying to focus on what she’d just sai.d “No. I think we wait for the test results before we do anything more.”

“Like call Gordon?”

“No, um, yes?”

“And what about Andie? What you think?”

“Who?”

“For goodness sake Magnum,” she said, putting hands on hips, then clearly annoyed she still didn’t have his full attention - or, she did, just not maybe in the way she wanted right then - added, “They're just breasts. And not very impressive ones at that.”

“They don’t need to be impressive,” he said, stepping into the room. “I mean they are just-but-” He swallowed, not sure how to get out of this one without saying the completely wrong thing. “They’re distracting.”

“Clearly.” She smiled and he wondered if she had actually done the whole taking her bra off- thing on purpose to distract him.

“In fact,” he said, moving closer to her. “I think you’re just trying to get out of our surfing bet. We still haven’t talked about what the winner gets.”

“You mean what I get?” she raised an eyebrow and she sounded so sure she’d win, if he hadn’t seen how terrible she was at surfing he’d have been worried.

His phone rang. Worst timing ever. He decided maybe this once he could ignore it. 

“Don’t you need to get that?”

“No,” he decided as he leaned down to kiss her. 

“Magnum,” she warned. “Remember that we have guests.”

“They’re at the beach,” he pointed out as he ran his finger up her arm, breathing her in.

“Waiting for us,” she pointed out.

He nodded, because as much as he’d liked the idea of... well, to start with helping to apply sunscreen to all her hard to reach areas… he’d actually followed her more to ask about what had been bothering her the past few days. He should maybe stick to that plan. She had said they'd talk about it later.  “So how about we talk about what’s going on with you today?”

She took a step away from him. 

“Robin called-” she said, trying to change the topic. Apparently  _ later  _ wasn’t right now. He wanted to push but at the same time, the topic she'd picked was he wanted to hear more, ask questions about.

“He’s back on the grid? That’s good,” he said, since it had been a long while since Robin went undercover for his latest story. “I was worried we’d have to mount that rescue we talked about.”

“Yes, well,” she said, confusing him further. “What I meant...”

His phone rang again. Again.

“Best you take that.” She looked equally pleased and annoyed by the interruption.

Magnum debated not answering and wondering if maybe she wasn't changing the subject and that what was going on with Juliet actually had to do with the 'I talked to Robin' thing but someone calling twice in a row probably meant it was best to pick up.

The caller ID told him it was his favorite HPD detective.

“ _Magnum_ ,” Katsumoto said when he answered.

“Gordie!” He made his voice more cheerful than it needed to be.

“ _Please tell me you were not aware a five-year-old had been kidnapped and failed to tell me or the HPD about it?_ ” he did not sound pleased. Magnum could understand that.

“Well, actually...it’s a funny story-”

_ “I’m betting it’s  **not** .” _


	8. That Wasn't What I Asked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, hi, I'm not dead. I've just re-written this chapter like 12 times and I just keep on hating it more and more and now I'm just giving up on it and posting it. Enjoy or whatever.  
> Current mood: crying on the inside, snapping on the outside *my muse has left me*

## That Wasn't What I Asked

* * *

“You’re arresting Clara?” Magnum asked as he and Juliet followed Katsumoto through the house towards the study where Clara and Emma were waiting.

“We’re taking both of the sisters into custody,” the detective said briskly. “There were traces of several chemicals in the blood Dr. Cunha took from Emma. We’re waiting for the full tox screen.”

“But that proves Clara was right. Emma was poisoned and taking her away from Andie was the right thing to do!” Magnum argued. “You can’t arrest her!”

“You should be happy I’m not arresting you too! What were you thinking?” Gordon snapped and stopped to give him an angry look then turned to Juliet. “And you? You cannot have thought this was a good plan.”

“We were trying to help.” She looked away and crossed her arms.

“Well you didn’t-” the detective started.

“Hey!” Magnum interrupted, not liking Juliet getting the blame for something she’d actually pointed out was a bad idea. 

Gordon stopped and took a deep breath. “You two need to be careful,” he warned. “One day I won’t be there to bail you out of trouble.”

“Come on,” he said, trying to smooth things over. “You know you love helping us out!”

The other man shook his head at that, apparently not able to find words to express how not true this was. Except it totally was...at least Magnum was 99% sure Gordon liked helping. Or maybe 88%.

“Wait, who is going to take care of Emma?” Magnum asked, suddenly realizing that as far as he knew the kid had no one but the two sisters. “If you’re arresting both Clara and Andie?”

“With the father out of the country… I called social services. They’re on their way,” Gordon said with a sigh.

“We can take her,” Juliet offered, surprising Magnum - and from the looks of it Gordon too. 

“Yeah,” Magnum agreed because he had no objections to that. 

The detective shook his head. “You have to be certified as foster parents.”

“So certify us,” he said. 

“Sorry Magnum, that’s not how this works.” 

“Come one man, can’t you make it work that way?” he asked, giving him a cheeky smile.

“I can’t.”

“But what about-” Juliet began.

“I said _No._ The two of you have made enough of a mess of this.” He turned and heading off towards the office. “Stay here.”

Magnum glanced at Juliet as she watched the other man walk off, her fist balled up. He smiled. For someone who hadn’t wanted to get into a car with the little girl just a few hours ago, she sure had changed her tune. 

“Come on,” he said, as usual not about to do what he was told. 

* * *

* _Juliet_ *

* * *

Juliet was thankful that Gordon let Clara stay until the bony social service woman Ms. Low came. Let her explained that Emma was going to go with Ms. Low and not Clara. Juliet wasn't sure if she would have been able to do that. Explain to someone you'd promised to protect, a child, that you were being forced to leave them. That you didn't know when you'd see them again, if ever. Clara managed it without even shedding a tear. Maybe the teen didn't realize this might be a forever goodbye.

As they left the room, Emma got up to try to follow but Ms. Low blocked her way so the little girl turned and went to sit on the floor next to the sofa sticking the cat’s ear in her mouth. 

“Hey kid,” Magnum said, squatting down next to her. “You have to go with the nice lady you know.”

She said nothing, just wrapped her arms around her legs, not even looking at him.

Juliet stood back by her desk, not sure how or even if she should attempt to do anything. Ms. Low was surely qualified to handle this. Only Ms. Low had pulled her phone out and didn’t seem in a rush to get Emma out of there.

"Come on kiddo-"

“I want my daddy,” Emma said and quickly turned and pushed him. Her tiny body couldn’t have actually made him move very much, so maybe it was her words, that made him take a step back from her.

“We don’t push,” Ms. Low chided, eyes suddenly off her phone and taking a few steps over to Emma. “Now get your things and if you’re lucky you’ll make it in time for dinner.”

“She doesn't have anything to bring,” Juliet said. “As the detective explained, this isn’t her home.”

“Right,” Ms. Low said, as she grabbed hold of Emma’s hand, tugging the girl to her feet. “I suppose the placement will find her something. They’re used to situations like this.”

Juliet wasn’t sure there was a lot of situations like this. The whole ‘All happy families are alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way’.

“Goodbye Emma,” she found herself saying as Ms. Low led the unsteady Emma towards the open doorway.

Emma said nothing, but Ms. Low gave Juliet a strained smile. 

Magnum walked over to her.

“We should go talk to Andie,” he said, eyes following the two departing figures.

“I don’t think we’re getting anywhere near the precinct today,” she pointed out, shaking off the Emma thing. Or trying to. “Katsumoto seemed pretty upset with us. As he probably should be.”

“Okay, Noelani then. The tox screen might tell us something. And maybe we could get in touch with Emma’s dad. See what he’s got to say about this whole thing.” 

“I guess,” she said as the little girl turned back for a second before she followed Ms. Low towards the exit. 

Something about Emma sadly walking away with a strange adult reminded Juliet of something mostly forgotten from her own childhood. Of a summer spent with an aunt she’d never known while her mother went… she couldn’t remember where. Juliet just knew she hadn’t been invited.

“I’m sorry,” she told him, because it had to be worse for him. He’d been the one that connected with the child; made Emma smile, wanted to teach her to surf.

“Yeah, me too,” he said. “We probably should have called Katsomouto this morning.”

“No I meant- about Emma,” she said, not really sure where she was going with this. And she hated that she didn’t know. Hated feeling oddly _powerless_. “She really liked you and you liked her too.”

He frowned. “And **you** asked if she could stay with us.” 

“It’s not the same thing. I did that because...because.” She tried to figure out why she’d done that, how to say what she needed even though her heart hurt with the truth of it. “You want… I thought-”

“You thought I wanted to play house?” he asked, as she wasn’t sure but she thought he almost sounded _offended_. 

She looked away. “Forget it.”

“Is this about the kid thing?” he asked like he’d forgotten about it until just then. Maybe he had, even though it had seemed important to him.

“No,” she said even though it was. “You were just really good with Emma.”

“So?”

“You want that.” She nodded towards where Emma had disappeared a few moments earlier.

“And you don’t? I get it’s not the right time now, but at some point in the future, you really don’t want to have a family?” he asked, so disbelieving and she felt as if he’d seen through her charade. 

“Maybe I don’t?” she said, even if that wasn’t what it was about.

“You don’t sound very sure about that,” he pointed out. “In fact, I think if you were, you’d have mentioned it at some point. But you never did, not until _I_ brought it up.”

“I’d be a terrible mother-” She tried to turn away but he didn’t let her go.

“No,” he said, eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t be. And that’s not what I asked. I asked what you wanted. There is a difference.”

“No, there isn’t,” she said sharply. “You don’t have a child unless you know you’re going to be able to make that child feel happy, safe and loved. Wanted.”

“We would do that.”

She shook her head. “Our lives, jobs, are dangerous and not the least child-friendly. We’d have to change too much. Take less dangerous job-”

“We already said we would try to do that,” he argued. “In Russia, we said no more high-risk cases. We’d screen our clients better. Try not to get shot at every other week.”

“Perhaps, yet here we are, involved in a kidnapping and possible poisoning,” she said. 

“But no one is shooting at us,” he pointed out, and she actually had to smile a little at that. 

“Not yet.”

He pulled her in for a hug. 

“You still haven’t actually answered the question,” he said, stroking her back. “Yes or no?”

She hesitated, face pressed against his chest, breathing him in. She knew if she answered him truthfully she couldn’t hide behind any of the excuses she’d been using. Good, valid excuses. Like how terrible a mother she’d be. How they lived such dangerous lives. How many dangers there were in the world.

“Yes,” she whispered finally, still pressing her face into his chest. “Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was not how the chapter ended 11 out of 12 times and it feels a little weird now, especially because I'm not doing babies ever after fluff for a good long while; there is this whole poisoning/kidnap plot + another case-thing before I might even consider it.


	9. Wee Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnum ponders and gets two late-night phone calls...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So last week I started class and I'm back to studying full time (because who can get a job with how things are currently?) and it's been fun but very time-consuming. I've had a lot of ideas for fics though, but this one I'm still feeling a little 'meeeh, where is my muse hiding' with, so maybe I'll to a one/two-shot or something to cheer me up. I'm trying to stop myself from starting another multi-chapter fic though! Gotta finish stuff not just start them!
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

**Wee Hours**

* * *

Magnum was awake because he’d had an odd dream that he just couldn’t shake. He’d been looking and looking for something important while Rick kept following him around, whispering, “I can’t believe you don’t remember, I can’t believe it you don’t remember,” except Rick couldn’t tell him what it was he was looking for or was supposed to remember (or even if they were the same thing).

It wasn’t the first time he had trouble sleeping though, and it wouldn't be the last. At least this time the dream at least hadn’t had him waking up terrified, wondering where he was, wanting to call Rick, TC (or wake Juliet) to make sure they were alright. 

So he tried to think positively. That quiet nighttime hours gave him time to think about things. The case, Emma and the sisters. They hadn’t been able to see Andie or Clara and Emma’s father was according to his personal assistant on a plane back from India. Magnum had asked the assistant to let Emma’s dad know that she was in emergency foster placement. He was sure someone would reach out to the man but he’d wanted to make sure Emma got back to someone who cared about her quickly.

If her father did care. Because as much as Magnum wanted to believe it, he wasn’t sure about that. He hoped but how did you know if a stranger was a good person or not? Know if they were a good parent or a terrible one?

_I’d be a terrible mother._

He frowned. That was what Juliet had said. Thinking about it It seemed very odd to him, because Juliet Higgins was no one to admit to being anything but amazing at most things. Which made sense, because being honest, she was frighteningly competent at so many things.

Probably it had to do with that. The fact that she was good at most things but children much less babies weren’t something she had experience with.

Still, she’d said she’d be a _terrible mother_. Not just once either, he’d suddenly remembered. She’d said it the day before as well. That was _odd_. Because he knew her well enough to feel certain she wouldn’t be. That what she’d said - her worries about not being able to give her child life everything she wanted for him or her - was proof of it. 

Before he could come to any conclusion to what it might mean, his phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

Not unusual. Not even unusual at this time of night, not for a PI. 

“Magnum,” he answered, trying to keep his voice low to not wake Juliet.

“Hello? Are you the PI?” a male voice asked loudly.

“I am a PI, yes,” he said, slipping out of bed and over to the window. He pushed the curtains to the side, letting in some soft moonlight, admiring the little shines it created on the ocean bellow.

“Jin gave me your number, he said you were the best at helping people out,” the man continued. “You see, I need you to prove I’m innocent.”

“Innocent of what?”

“Come to Hawaii Correctional tomorrow at two, visiting hours start then,” he said, still too loud. “I’ll pay you, like a lot, if you help me.”

“Um-”

“Please man,” the guy’s voice finally lowered. “I’m innocent and I need to get out of here.”

“I suppose-”

“Fantastic man. Ask for Walkerson. Yeah? See you tomorrow.”

The call ended before Magnum had a chance to say or ask anything more.

As intriguing as this new possible case was he was still stuck on the case of the day. Who kidnapped a little girl because they thought she was being poisoned? Maybe Clara was the bad guy? Maybe she'd just made it all up? Convinced Emma she was being poisoned so she'd go with her? That was a depressing thought. He put his forehead against the cool glass of the window. 

What if Emma’s father was the one doing the poisoning? 

A terrible idea too, but even though he’d never met the man, it almost seemed to make more sense than Andie doing it. Than Clara being the bad guy. Gal.

Or maybe no one was poisoning her. Hopefully. Maybe it was some symptom of the kidney problems Emma had that Clara had picked up on.

But what if not? 

“We have a new case then?” Juliet said, suddenly right there next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He liked it when she did that, when she made their still new intimacy feel all comfortingly and normal-like. Like she had always been and always would be there doing small things like that.

“You heard that?” He turned to her.

“Spies need to have good hearing. Besides, he wasn’t exactly being quiet,” she said. “So our latest client is a convict? How wonderful.”

“We don’t have to take the case,” he said, remembering quite a few occasions where his selection of cases had caused some friction.

”I’m sure we will,” she said with an expression that was both annoyed and amused. “Knowing us. But Magnum, I do wish you would ask just a few more questions before agreeing to client meetings.” 

“I asked him!” he said, because he had, hadn’t he? He sort of had.

“Right. So what details can you tell me?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

“He claimed he was innocent and...”

“And?”

“Visiting hours start at 2?” 

“You’re impossible Magnum,” she rolled her eyes and began to turn away from him. 

“But you love me anyway!” he said, taking her hand to pull her back to him. Before he got further than that though, his phone began to vibrate and lit up again. 

Katsumoto. 

That was odd. Especially since it was the middle of the night.

“What?" she asked, looking down at the phone, frowning. “That’s peculiar.”

"Second time today he's calling to interrupt." He considered letting it go to voicemail.

But a call at four AM meant something - something bad most likely - so he picked up.


	10. Nine Lives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel genuinely confused, what happened to Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday??? Like where did the time go? Wait, hold on, is today Thursday?

* * *

**Nine Lives**

* * *

“I’m sorry sir but I can’t let you go back and see her,” the nurse said. Her stern demeanor contrasted sharply with the pink children’s ward scrubs she wore. “Not unless you are her guardians or immediate family, which you already stated you are not.”

“But-” Magnum began and Juliet reached out to touch his arm. Because the nurse wasn’t budging. 

“I’m sorry but those are the rule-”

“They’re with me,” a familiar voice behind them said and they turned to Katsumoto flashing the nurse his badge. “They’re involved in the case.”

The nurse looked like she’d just ate a slice of lemon but with a huff, turned and stalked off.

“You two shouldn’t be here,” Gordon said by way of greeting. She thought that was quite uncharitable of him really when he’d called them there.

“Then why did you call us at four in the morning?” Magnum asked mockingly. “You had to know we’d come.”

“Just to inform you that she’d been brought in,” Katsumoto said, sounding and looking tired.

“You wanted us to come,” Magnum insisted. 

“Maybe I did,” the detective reluctantly agreed. “The temporary foster parents couldn’t stay and the nurses were saying she was doing better should wake up soon. Her father isn't landing until 10. You two were the closest thing to a familiar face I could think of for her.”

“Ahhw,” Magnum said, smiling at Juliet as they began to walk towards what she assumed was Emma’s room. “Gordy still likes us.”

“Well when he needed us and there were no other possible candidates,” she pointed out, then no longer able to hold back the questions that had been in her mind since the phone call. “Detective, exactly why did the foster parents bring Emma in? Is she alright?”

“They said another foster child noticed her convulsing and she was unresponsive and because they had been briefed on the possible poisoning they brought her into the ER. They’re still running tests. If you could sit with her for a bit until social services arrive?”

She nodded and Magnum said, “Yeah. No problem.”

Katsumoto pointed them towards the room that was Emma's, before giving them a nod. "I'm going to go wake Dr. Cunha up, see if she can shed some light on what might be wrong with the girl."

He turned and headed back down the corridor they'd come.

Juliet took a step toward the room Gordon had pointed them to, but Magnum grabbed her hand.

“How about some coffee first?” He pointed to a vending machine at the end of the hallway.

Juliet felt torn but in the end the need for caffeine and a moment to compose herself before going to see Emma sounded good. 

She also wanted to talk to Magnum about Robin’s offer. To simply renew her visa, even if it meant going back to the UK for a while. She’d thought waiting to tell him would somehow help her decide what she wanted to do, so she could tell him her choice.

But thinking about it after Gordon's phone call interrupted her and in the car over she realized it really was a problem she needed to share with him. Because it was a choice that affected them both. She hadn’t quite wanted to see that before. She'd somehow thought it was a choice she could, should, make on her own. 

“Robin offered to renew my work visa,” she blurted as they walked past cheerfully decorated walls contrasted by serious medical equipment. 

“Your work visa?” he echoed. "Why? You don't need it-"

“I’d have to go back to London for six months but-” 

“Then we’re not doing that,” he said, stepping in front of her. “Right?”

She met his eyes. “It would mean no green card interview or anything like that. No one could question...”

“Question what?”

_Why you married me._

“Nothing,” she said, not knowing how to explain what she was feeling. It was illogical. She knew he loved her. He knew she loved him. Even though she was scared to even think it, for fear she would jinx it, she was the happiest she’d been since at least Richard.

Maybe even happier.

But she didn’t want to have to prove that to someone else. Someone who had all the power. The power to take it away. Maybe just preemptively leaving, making it her choice, and knowing she could come back, would be easier.

"It just thought it might be an option worth considering," she said. "We'd still be married. Just-"

"Not together."

"Only for six months," she pointed out.

"When did he call and talk to you about this?" he asked, suddenly.

She felt a wave of something uncomfortable slide through her. She hadn't lied to him. She'd just not told him. It was different. Yet it felt oddly almost the same. "Three days ago. I was just thinking about it. Six months isn't that long." Except it was. She knew that. But six months, to not to have her private life scrutinized and possibly still not get a visa, seemed like it had to be an option. It would be a choice she had more control over at the very least.

“No,” he said softly as if he could read her mind. “You don’t get to run away. We’re in this together.”

* * *

Even the dim light made Emma's red eyes - from crying or a reaction to whatever was poisoning her, Juliet wasn't sure - and the pale blue veins under her thin skin, stand out. And in the huge bed, she looked even smaller than she had yesterday. There was a breathing mask over her face, providing oxygen and several monitors tracking her vitals around. She was still sleeping or unconscious, which Juliet found both disturbing - because she was so still, if not for the beep-beep-beep of the monitor she'd have worried the little girl was dead- and a relief, because Juliet had no idea how to handle this situation.

She shared a look with Magnum as he moved a chair next to the bed and found a mirror of her own sadness and hopelessness and inability to help (and even guilt that they hadn't stopped this from happening) reflected there. 

"Emam?" Magnum said in a low voice to Emma as he sat down. "Hey, sleepyhead."

"Maybe we should let her wake up on her own?" she said, resting a hand on his shoulder. 

He nodded his agreement just as Emma's eye began to flutter open. So much for that idea. But it was a relief, a bigger one than she'd expected, to see it. To know that she was at least conscious. 

"Hey," he said as her eyes focused on him. "How'r you feel?"

She slid a bird-like little hand up to take her mask off. "Mr. Magnum?"

"Yeah," he said. "How you feeling?"

She didn't answer but kept her eyes on his for a moment, before moving them up to Juliet's. She hadn't expected anything, maybe the weakest sign of recognition.

So when the little girl said, "Juliet," and actually gave the smallest smile, she felt a weird sort of tugging in her chest. 

"Yes," Juliet agreed as the girl tried to sit up and began looking around. "I'm here too."

“Where is Hermione?” she asked, her voice a little stronger. 

“Who?” Magnum asked.

“Her stuffed cat,” Juliet told him quietly.

“Oh?” He smiled at the little girl. “You got a Harry Potter cat?”

“Yes,” Emma said and Juliet realized that the girl having named her cat after a famous children’s book character made more sense than after a rather unfortunate Shakespearean one. “W’ere is she?”

“I’m sure she’s with the nurses. I’ll go find her for you,” Juliet said quickly, greatful for something useful to do. Something she could actually do well. Find and return something lost.

“Is she a magical cat?” she heard Magnum ask and she had to smile at that as she opened the door and left.

* * *

At the nurse's station, a different younger nurse greeted her and was more than happy to go search for a little girl’s lost toy.

“Here you are,” she said, handing over a ziplock bag with Emma’s full name and some other numbers - social security and patient number probably - on it. 

There was a gray PJ set in there along with the stuffed cat and nothing else.

Juliet plucked the cat out, immediately noting how wet the fur of the well-used toy was. From the feel of it, Emma must have had the cat’s whole head in her mouth.

Something came back to her then. 

Something that made a lot of things make sense.

Magnum’s words ‘ _Is she a magical cat?_ ’ along with a row of stuffed animals on the side of the nurse desk for sale - to help aid a cancer charity - made a plan form in her mind.

“Can I have that tabby cat?” she asked, nodding towards it as she put Emma’s saliva soaked cat into her bag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would someone have even called Katsumoto in the middle of the night? Would he have gone down there? IDK, maybe social services would have been called first. BUT I needed Juliet and Magnum to be there with her to move the story along so this is what I went with.
> 
> And does Higgins ever carry a bag? I don't think so. But in this story she does here because...because bags are so useful! It makes no sense for her not to have one!


	11. Cat of A Different Coat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean was there. In the hospital. Wearing a doctor’s coat.  
> It made no sense.  
> Because she’d shot him. In Russia. As drugged up as she had been, she knew she had. Magnum had confirmed it. Head shot.  
> No coming back from that.  
> Yet, there he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Urg I both started a new class and a new job in the same week. The job is good. The class-- well it’s about property law and after the first seminar I was freaking out because Law Be Confusing, but after the second class things made a bit more sense and I think I’ll survive it...maybe.
> 
> So yeah, that’s my excuse for why this update took forever when I said I was going to get back to it right when Two Steps Backwards was done. 
> 
> (I may also have written a semi-angsty Miggy trying to have a kid story while listening to “Peter Bradley Adams - Darkening Sky” that I’m not sure about posting, instead of working on this when I had time...because babies? they're everywhere in my life and not even my muse have escaped their influence)

## Cat of A Different Coat

Juliet had never been scared of hospitals, not really, but there was a certain quality about them that made a small tight ball form in her stomach.

As she walked back towards Emma’s room, pink cat in hand, she felt the ball grow and shift into something else. Something that had nothing to do with hospitals.

Because she knew the man walking ahead of her down the corridor. 

His shoulders, his salt and pepper hair and even the way he shifted his shoulders as he walked.

 _Sean_.

Sean was there. In the hospital. Wearing a doctor’s coat.

It made no sense.

Because she’d _shot_ him. In Russia. As drugged up as she had been, she knew she had. Magnum had confirmed it. Headshot.

No coming back from that.

Yet, there he was.

But he couldn’t be.

She followed him, because she had to _know_. Had to see that it wasn’t him.

Or that it was. 

She had no idea what she’d do if it was.

She’d gotten used to the idea of never seeing his face again. She’d stopped looking for it. Stopped wondering if he was out there, spying on her. Had she been to quick to do that? What if he'd tricked them somehow? What if he really was right in front of her, alive and out for vengeance. 

Her gun was in Robin’s office. Magnum’s was in the Ferrari. Her breathing sped up as she realized these facts. 

_It couldn’t be Sean._

Still, she followed as he turned down the corridor where Emma was.

Was he there for Emma? Her? Magnum?

She tightened her fists, looking around for something that could be used for a weapon.

“Sean,” she called just before he reached Emma’s door. He didn’t stop. She rushed forward. “Sean!”

She grabbed his arm, prepared to yank him back, thinking of moves to knock him down, to stop him somehow. Only…

_It wasn’t Sean._

Of course it wasn’t Sean.

Sean was dead.

She’d shot him.

“Can I help you?” the man asked. 

“No,” she said, letting go of him and stepping back. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

The man nodded, and walked on to the end of the hall and went into one of the room’s there. He was just a doctor. Just a man going about his day at work. But he'd looked so much like him. It was disturbing and terrifying at once.

Juliet leaned against the wall next to Emma’s door, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. _In. Out. In. Out._ Just breathe. Remember how to be calm. She knew how to deal with panic. As brutal as some of her training had been, it was at least still useful.

Helped to stop a panic attack when you started believing dead people were still around and out to get you...

She’d thought she had been _alright_. That she was fine with everything that had gone down in Russia. That the memories spending time around Sean had dredged back up were tucked back in the little mental box she kept them in. Now she wasn't so sure. 

A hand landed on her shoulder and she flinched away; a memory of Sean’s hand on that shoulder, forcing it back after it had been dislocated, burned through her. 

“Higgy?” Magnum’s voice said, soft, worried, right next to her. “You alright?”

“I just thought I saw...” She shook her head. She didn’t want to tell him. It was stupid.

“Saw what?”

“Nothing. I’m fine,” she said and smiled, because she was. It was just a lack of sleep and half a decade of wondering if Sean was going to be around the next corner. That had to be the reason.

He touched her face, turning it up towards his, making her meet his eyes. “You’re not.”

“I am,” she assured him, because she had to be fine. Sean was in the past. He was _dead_. Gone. Remembering that and not letting him affect her present was the only way for her to have a future. Her and Magnum. If she brought Sean’s ghost into their lives...she didn’t want that for them. She needed to change the topic, “And I have theory.”

“About Emma?“

“Yes,” she nodded, “I think that-”

“ _Mister Magnum_?” Emma called weakly from inside the room. “Where’d you go?”

“We’re right here,” Magnum called back, still looking into her eyes as if trying to read her mind. 

“We should go in,” she told him quickly, sidestepping him, worried he actually would guess who she’d thought she’d seen. That she’d been foolish enough to think Sean was still alive. “I’ll tell you after social services arrive.”

* * *

“That’s not Hermione,” Emma said when Juliet presented her with the pink cat.

“Are you sure?” Juliet said, pretending to look confused.

“I’m sure!” the girl said, actually sounding and looking much better than just 10 minutes earlier when Juliet had left. 

“But this is the cat they said you came in with,” Juliet insisted, sitting on Emma’s bedside. “Wait? Didn’t you say she was a magical cat?”

“Maybe?” Emma said, looking unsure and then over to Magnum.

"I think you did," he agreed, backing her up even though he had no clue as to why. Sometimes, when he did that, even with just small things, she felt so... seen? loved? it was a feeling she'd never had much. Someone being in her corner, defending her, agreeing with her.

“Then that surely explains it,” Juliet continued. “I think this is Hermione, she just shape-shifted into a pink cat.”

Emma looked skeptical but accepted the stuffed animal.

“Why don’t you try going back to sleep Sweetie?” she suggested. “It’s very late.” Actually it was more like very early, a little past six according to the clock she'd seen in the reception.

“I’m not tired.”

“Of course not,” Magnum said, smiling. “But I am. So would you mind if Juliet turned the light off and told me a story? So I can get some sleep.”

“Grown ups don’t get stories before bed.” Emma very reasonably pointed out.

“What?” he said as Juliet went up to turn the light down. “Juliet tells me stories all the time.”

Emma frowned and looked to Juliet. “You do?”

Juliet didn’t think she’d told him any stories, ever. Unless you counted one or two recollections of semi-terrible things from her past like when she told him about being undercover in Russia. A story that most assuredly wasn't appropriate for a child. 

“Sometimes,” she lied, giving Magnum a frustrated look. She didn’t remember a lot of stories from her childhood. Now days she mostly read mystery novels or historical fiction. Neither were easily adapted into a tale for a child.

"Why don't you tell her about Mitten's the lost cat?" Magnum suggested. Emma nodded, laying back down, a little of the energy seeming to escape her. 

"Alright," she found herself agreeing and then manged to weave a tale of a lost cat, its adventures as a cat pirate and eventual return to its mistress and finding a career as a detective. She found that despite her initial reluctance it wasn't all that difficult. She kept going, even as the cat had returned home and figured its life out, because while Emma's eyes were drooping, she wasn't quite asleep. And she thought a little bit extra happily ever after was just what was needed for Emma.

"I think she's out," Magnum said as Juliet finally ran out of story. "That was pretty good. I'm not sure how I ended up being the cat however?"

"You were not the cat," she told him in a quiet voice as she stood. 

"The cat learned to swim, likes to surf and helping its neighboring pets look for stolen treats? I think you couldn't have made it more obvious unless you made the cat's keeper snarky and British?"

"I'm not your keeper," she said as he came to stand behind her.

"No?" he whispered wrapping his hand around her waist."Well, you're at the very least the keeper of my heart."

"Magnum," she admonished, because when he said things like that... it felt strange. A bit nice but mostly strange.

"Gonna complain I'm a hopeless romantic again?"

"Yes!"

Emma moved a little, her hand closing around the pink cat. They both quieted down, not wanting to wake her.

"She's darling," Juliet found herself saying without truly meaning to

"Yes," he agreed.

She wanted to add something. How sad Emma made her feel. Because the little girl was all alone now. Juliet knew about being alone. She wanted to tell him how parts of her wanted to just find a way to swoop in and save Emma, while another, just as big part, wanted to run and not get involved. Not get hurt. Same with the idea of a possible child of their own. The idea was lovely, but so terrifying.

Before she could find the words for any of it, social services arrived and they were very politely told to get the hell out.

* * *

As soon as they were out of Emma’s room however Juliet remembered she had a theory to investigate, to prove. And the fast the better. It might even be able to aid in Emma’s recovery - if Juliet's theory was proven right.

“Where are we going?” he asked, clearly surprised at her sudden need to be...somewhere.

“The crime lab,” she said, pulling out the gray stuffed cat from her bag.

“You stole real Hermione? Higgy!” He looked appropriately shocked and amused.

She rolled her eyes at him as she tossed him the stuffed cat. “Feel it. It’s wet. Did you notice yesterday? She kept putting in her mouth when she got scared or nervous.”

“She did?” he asked, and she was surprised he hadn’t noticed. Maybe he just hadn’t had those kinds of behaviors as a child. Maybe Emma had liked him too much to be nervous around him.

“Yes.” They passed the intake desk at the ER. “And what would make a five-year-old scared? Much more scared than normal? Being separated from everyone she’s ever known, having to sleep in a strange place. I doubt she'd have taken that cat out of her mouth at all last night.”

“You think the toy has been poisoned?” he asked as they left the hospital, looking at the cat in his hand. 

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Who poisons a child through their stuffed animal? That’s beyond cruel,” he said with a head shake.

“So poisoning her with her kidney medicine would have been better?” 

“That’s not what I meant...”

She softened the edge of her voice, seeming to remember it wasn’t him she was upset with. “I know. But the thing is, I’m not even sure anyone was actually trying to poison Emma.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How awesome is it that it's only 2 weeks until we get season 3!!!


End file.
